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Alejandro Henriquez
|job = |pathology = Serial Killer Rapist Pedophile Hebephile Con Artist Robber |mo = Varied |type = Organized lust/power |victims = 3-5 killed 0-2 molested 1 assaulted |time = 1987 - December 5, 1990 |charges = First-degree murder Armed robbery Assault |sentence = Three consecutive 25 years to life imprisonment sentences |status = Incarcerated |birth place = Hunts Point, Bronx, New York |capture = December 5, 1990}} Alejandro "Alex" Henriquez, also known as The Bronx Serial Killer, is an American pedophilic serial killer and one-time rapist, active in New York City's South Bronx between 1988 and 1990. He has been convicted of three murders and suspected of three more. He is currently serving three consecutive 25 years to life sentences, while still maintaining his innocence. Background Henriquez was born in 1961, growing up in the Hunts Point section of the Bronx, New York. He was the youngest of seven siblings and stepsiblings. His father was a barber, while his mother worked as a polisher in Manhattan's jewelry district. According to himself, he lived a happy childhood with his parents, who did everything for him and made him attend the best schools, though he eventually dropped out. There were allegations concerning purported sexual abuses he suffered as a child, which he always denied. As an adult, he was known as a liar, deceiver, and fraudster. He would claim to be the owner of a livery car company, while, in reality, he conned airport rental agencies by subleasing rented cars to drivers. He cheated his "wife", Andrea Rosario (who wasn't really his wife, and whom he reportedly battered), with various girlfriends, whom he exploited by obtaining credit cards in his name on their accounts, which he later used in his business. He also told the children of his neighborhood he was a detective or an undercover Federal narcotics agent, letting them play in his cars, and buying them video games and toys. With the older teenagers, he bragged about the women he dated, which he says was because of his car, charm and clean-cut appearance. Even before being indicted of murder, he was suspected of having molested his own niece and the daughter of one of his girlfriends, in 1983. In 1990, when he was first arrested on charges of having committed a 1987 robbery at a Manhattan yacht club where he briefly worked, he also pleaded guilty to an assault charge (in 1988, he had scalded the three-year-old son of his "wife", although he claimed the incident was caused by his negligence). Killings and Arrest Henriquez was considered a "person of interest" by the authorities in relation to two separate murder cases. The victims were Shamira Bello, 14, and Lisa Rodriguez, 21. Shamira disappeared from her neighborhood on July 2, 1988. Her sexually abused body was found the next day in Pelham Bay Park. She had been bludgeoned to death with repeated blows to the head. Later, two more children were found strangled to death in 1989: Nilda Cartagena (coincidentally Henriquez's own thirteen-year-old niece) and Heriberto Marrero, 15. Henriquez was never indicted of these murders. On June, 1990, Lisa Ann Rodriguez was also found dead. Henriquez reportedly knew Shamira, and had also dated Lisa, whom he presented to his landlady as his niece. That same year, Jessica Guzman's deceased body was found near the Bronx River Parkway. This last murder stunned the community, prompting the NYPD to form a 40-member task force to track the suspected serial killer. They linked the cases together, and eventually resolved only Alex Henriquez, who was involved in the investigation from Jessica's disappearance, and whom at the time was held without bail in relation to the 1987 armed robbery, could have killed all of them. For his own part, Henriquez participated search parties and candlelight prayer vigils. He also tried obtaining information on the bloodhounds' searches of the crime scenes, and attempted to mislead the investigation by convincing his nephew to make a phone call to the media claiming to be the killer. Trial and Incarceration During the course of the trial, his lawyer argued that the authorities were searching for a scapegoat for the crimes. On the other hand, the prosecution was able to link Henriquez to the killings through both circumstancial and forensic evidence. In 1992, Henriquez was convicted of the murders of Shamira Bello, Lisa Rodriguez and Jessica Guzman. He was condemned to three consecutive 25 years to life imprisonment sentences. He is currently incarcerated at the Sullivan Correctional Facility, in New York State, and still maintains his innocence. Modus Operandi Henriquez targeted females between 10 and 21. He would strangle or bludgeon them to death and then usually drop the bodies inside parks which bordered main roads. His first victim Shamira Bello was also raped before being killed. Profile FBI profiler James R. Fitzgerald claimed Henriquez is a self centered psychopathic individual, with a constant, narcissistic need for power, control and attention. He lies as a means of self preservation and sustenance. He has a very positive perception of himself, and uses his superficial charm to fulfill his own ends. He was thought to be incapable of having normal sexual interactions with adult women, which is why he directed his attention to younger girls, whom he could also manipulate. He was also said to live surrounded by people he deemed inferior to him (teenagers, children...), as a means of feeling more accounted and powerful. Like many other serial killers, he reportedly pretended to be a law-enforcement official. Known Victims Date refers to when the bodies were found Confirmed *Unspecified date in 1987: a robbery at Manhattan's World Yacht Club *Unspecified date in 1988: Unnamed three-year-old boy *July 3, 1988: Shamira Bello, 14 *1990: **June 14: Lisa Ann Rodriguez, 21 **October 17: Jessica Guzman, 10 Possible * Unspecified dates in 1983: ** Unnamed girl, 9 ** Unnamed girl, 6 * June 21, 1989 : ** Nilda Cartagena, 13 ** Heriberto Marrero, 15 On Criminal Minds *Season Two: **"Fear and Loathing" - While Henriquez has yet to be directly referenced on the show, he appears to have been an inspiration for the episode's unsub, Terrance Wakeland - Both are sexually motivated serial killers, attacked young girls, beat or strangled them to death, and dumped their bodies in green areas. Both also acted inside New York State in a relatively small community, with their murders generating wide-spread panic and consternation. Both were also superficially charming, managing to attract their victims in secluded places where they would eventually assault them. References *Murderpedia's article on Henriquez *Serial killer serving 75 years for the murders of three girls STILL maintains his innocence as he breaks his silence in harrowing prison documentary with Piers Morgan *Intricate Trail to Bronx Murder Charges - The New York Times *Who is Alex Henriquez? Investigating Piers Morgan's serial killer interview *Untitled Category:Real People Category:Real Life Narcissists Category:Real Life Psychopaths Category:Real World Criminals Category:Real Pedophiles Category:Real Hebephiles Category:Real Con Artists Category:Real Life Robbers Category:Real Life Killers Category:Real Serial Killers Category:Real Life Child Killers Category:Incarcerated Real World Criminals Category:Unreferenced Criminals